2001 SAAB 9-3 check engine light

187 Starting and driving
Towing a car with automatic
transmission The following rules must be observed if a
car with automatic transmission is to be
towed.
The gear selector must be in the N position.
Switch hazard lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles in tow.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked vio-
lently.1 Selector lever in position N.
2 Raise the oil level in the gearbox above
normal by 2 extra quarts. Use oil of type
Texaco Texamatic Dexron III.
3 The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit
is lower. The longest permissible towing
distance is 25-30 miles (40-50 km). If the
car has to be transported farther than
that, summon a tow truck. A flat bed tow
truck is the preferred method to tow.
4 When the car is being returned to ser-
vice, check the gearbox oil, and reduce
it to the prescribed amount if necessary.
The engine cannot be started by towing or
pushing the car. In emergency, the engine
can be started as described in the section
”Jump starting”.
Jump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.
NOTEThe car must be towed front first.
If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
WARNING
Batteries can cause injury. They can be
dangerous because:
 They contain acid that can burn you.
 They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
 They contain enough electricity to
injure you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.
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188 Starting and drivingTo jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If
a poor connection on the negative
jumper cable should exist, it is possible
for damage to be caused to electrical
systems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that are not needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries and it could
save your radio.4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (-) termi-
nals on the battery.NOTEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.NOTEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in Neu-
tral.NOTEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
IB886
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189 Starting and driving
5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (-) will go to a major metal
engine part with a good ground. Do not
connect (+) to (-) or you will get a short
that could injure you or would damage
the battery and maybe other parts as
well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8 Now connect the black negative (-)
cable to the good battery’s negative ter-
minal.
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable does not go to the dead
battery. It goes to a major metal part with
a good ground on the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.9 Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the discharged bat-
tery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just
as good there, but the chance of sparks
getting back to the battery is much less.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the dis-
charged battery. If it does not start after
a few tries, it probably needs service.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
The battery installed in your new Saab
has filler caps. Be sure the right amount
of water is there. Add distilled or boiled
water if the level is too low. If you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.
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190 Starting and drivingDriving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted The following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
installed:
The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel. Do not
drive farther than necessary with the com-
pact spare fitted – the maximum life of the
wheel is only just over 2000 miles
(3,500 km). Have the standard wheel
repaired and reinstalled as soon as possi-
ble.Points to bear in mind when driving with a
compact spare wheel:
 The car’s ground clearance is reduced
with the compact spare fitted.
 Only one compact spare wheel may be
used at any time.
 Take care not to hit the curb.
 Do not fit snow chains.
 Leave the wheel cover off, so that the
warning text is readily visible.
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-Vee-belt and the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 Make sure that the engine is in good con-
dition.
 Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
 Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
 Inspect the Poly-Vee-belt and replace it if
it shows any signs of wear.
 Check the battery charge.
 Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
 Take an extra car key/remote control and
keep it separate, see also page 36.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
WARNING
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as the
tire can overheat and adversely affect the
handling of the car.
The tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa).
NOTETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel this can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but only while driving to
the closest dealer.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 148.
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195 Car care
Saab Trionic engine management
systemThe Saab Trionic engine management
system is a unique Saab development that
combines sequential multiport fuel injection,
electronic distributorless ignition and turbo-
charger boost pressure control into one sys-
tem.
The Trionic engine control module (ECM)
monitors many different engine parameters
such as:
 Intake manifold pressure.
 Intake air temperature.
 Crankshaft position.
 Engine coolant temperature.
 Throttle position.
 The oxygen content of the exhaust gases.
The ECM receives information regarding
engine knocking from a sophisticated feed-
back function in the ignition discharge unit.
By processing all of this information, the Tri-
onic system can control fuel injector open-
ing duration, ignition timing and turbo-
charger boost pressure to provide excellent
engine performance while maintaining low
emissions and fuel consumption.
ORVR (Onboard Refueling Vapor
Recovery)All hydrocarbons formed when refueling will
be recovered by the car and not released
into the atmosphere. The hydrocarbons are
absorbed in an evaporative emission canis-
ter. When the engine is subsequently
started, the evaporative emission canister is
gradually purged as air is sucked into it
through a shut-off valve. The hydrocar-
bon/air mixture passes through the evap
canister purge valve and into the engine
where it is burned. "Refueling", see page
157.
NOTEThe Trionic engine management system
continuously monitors the operation of
these systems and has on-board diag-
nostic capabilities (OBD II). If the CHECK
ENGINE light in the main instrument illu-
minates, the Trionic ECM has detected a
problem. The car will continue to operate,
but performance may be diminished. You
should have your car checked by a Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
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213 Car care
MAXI fusesThe MAXI fuses are housed in the fuse box
under the hood. These fuses can be
checked in the same way as the other fuses.
The MAXI fuses are designed to protect the
car’s electrical system from being dam-
aged. Each MAXI fuse protects a number of
electrical circuits and functions and there-
fore has a higher rating (amperage) than the
standard fuses. No spare MAXI fuses are
supplied with the car.
DICE / TWICEDICE = Dashboard Integrated Central Elec-
tronics
TWICE = Theft-Warning Central Electronics
DICE and TWICE are electronic control
modules.
DICE controls, among other things:
 Front lights and interior lighting.
 Instrument illumination.
 Intermittent wiper operation.
 Electric heating of rear window and door
mirrors.
TWICE controls, among other things:
 Central locking.
 Car alarm (Anti-theft system).
 Engine immobilizer.
 Auto checking of lights.
 Electric heating of rear seat.
 Safety belt reminder.
 Electrically adjustable passenger seat.The DICE and TWICE control modules are
linked to a data bus, which is basically an
information carrier that allows information to
be exchanged between all the control mod-
ules and components connected to the bus.
If a fault occurs in any of these components,
diagnostic faults codes are set in the rele-
vant control module, which enhances fault
diagnosis at the Saab dealer.
The scan tool connector for fault diagnosis
is located under the instrument panel on the
drivers side.
NOTEIf a MAXI fuse blows, it means that there
is a major fault in the electrical system.
Have the car checked without delay by an
authorized Saab dealer.
IB920
MAXI fuse for soft-top system
(Convertible)
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216 Car careFuses and relays Fuse panel in engine bay
No. Amp Function
110Horn
2 15 Front fog lights
3 40 Radiator fan, low speed
4 10 Vacuum pump
5 15 A/C-compressor
610Left low beam
7 10 Right low beam
8 10 Left high beam
9 10 Right high beam
10 7.5 Headlight wipers
11 – –
12 – Extra lights
13 7.5 APC
14 10 Extra heater; water pump (Europe)
15 15 Extra heater (Europe)
MAXI 1 30 Radiator fan, high speed
MAXI 2 50 ABS
Item Amp Function
A Low beam
B High beam
C1 Extra heater (Europe)
C2 Vacuum pump (Turbo aut.)
D Radiator fan, low speed
E Lamp check (filament monitor, front)
F1 – –
F2 – –
G1 Horn
G2 Front fog lights
H–
I Radiator fan, high speed
J A/C-compressor
IB919
Fuses and relays in engine bay (left side)
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233 Car care
Maintenance  The drive belt for the compressor should
be inspected under the regular service
program.
 Clean dirt and insects away from the con-
denser and radiator to prevent clogging.
When washing the car, use the hose to
spray the radiator and condenser (located
forward of the radiator) from both sides
(both from the front of the car and from
inside the engine bay). Do not use a pres-
sure washer.
Caution: Do not use the hose when the
engine is hot.
Other than in extremely cold weather, do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with screen netting,
as this will greatly diminish its cooling capac-
ity.
Note: The A/C system will only operate
when the outdoor temperature is above the
freezing point (0°C, 32°F). Switch on the
A/C system when the car stands in a warm
place.
Headlight aimingThe vehicle is equipped with vertical and
horizontal aim indicators. The aim has been
preset at the factory and should normally not
need further adjustments. This is true even
though your vertical and horizontal aim indi-
cators may not fall exactly on the "0" (zero)
marks on their scales.
If your headlight is damaged in an accident,
the headlight aim may be affected. If you
believe your headlights need to be
re-aimed, we recommend that you take it to
your Saab dealer for service. However, it is
possible for you to re-aim your headlights as
described in the following procedure.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows: Place the vehicle on a level pad or surface
 The vehicle should be unladen and fuel
tank full, and one person or 160 lbs.
(75 kg) on the drivers seat
 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice
or mud attached to it
 Tires should be inflated to the prescribed
pressure
 Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspen-
sion
WARNING
Before checking/adjusting the headlight
aiming, switch off the engine to avoid
danger of fingers and hands being injured
by moving parts.
The radiator fan can start up even when
the engine is switched off.
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